Pakistan may face a serious Gas Shortage after April 14 if new supplies are not arranged soon. Officials shared this concern during a briefing to the Senate’s Petroleum Committee about the country’s gas supply situation.
The meeting focused on disruptions in liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports. According to officials, shipments from Qatar have been suspended due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. This suspension has created uncertainty about Pakistan’s energy supplies in the coming weeks.
The Director General of LNG told the committee that Pakistan has already started facing supply problems. Out of eight LNG cargoes scheduled for March, only two have arrived. The remaining six cargoes could not reach Pakistan because of the regional conflict.
Officials also warned that the situation may continue in April. Out of six LNG cargoes planned for that month, three are expected to miss delivery. If this trend continues, the country could experience a severe Gas Shortage in several sectors.
To manage the situation, authorities have prepared an emergency gas supply plan for March 2026. Under this plan, system gas supply will drop slightly from 655 million cubic feet per day (MMCFD) to 642 MMCFD.
At the same time, re-gasified LNG (RLNG) supply will increase from 28 MMCFD to 30 MMCFD. However, the overall gas availability will still decline from 683 MMCFD to 672 MMCFD.
Gas distribution among different sectors will also change. Domestic consumers will receive more gas to meet household needs. Their allocation will increase from 399 MMCFD to 420 MMCFD.
Meanwhile, gas supply for the commercial sector will decrease from 10 MMCFD to 8 MMCFD. Process industries will also see a reduction from 140 MMCFD to 120 MMCFD.
The power sector will receive a slight increase in supply. Its allocation will rise from 18 MMCFD to 20 MMCFD to support electricity production. Fertilizer plants will also receive a small increase from 29 MMCFD to 30 MMCFD.
However, captive power plants will face a reduction in supply. Their allocation will drop from 82 MMCFD to 70 MMCFD.
Officials also discussed possible alternative supplies. Pakistan could import LNG through agreements with companies in Azerbaijan. However, this option would be much more expensive. The cost could be nearly three times higher than current LNG imports.
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Experts believe careful planning is necessary to avoid a major Gas Shortage. Controlling gas consumption and securing new import deals will be important steps in the coming months. Without quick action, Pakistan could face serious energy challenges.
